Unexpected Encounters
by Ultra Rodimus
Summary: AU. Earth: Final ConflictTransformers crossover. A dimensional rupture dumps an Autobot onto the Taelon mother ship, and into trouble as well. Read and review. COMPLETE!
1. End to the Expected

Author's Note: This IS a Transformers/Earth: Final Conflict crossover. The idea popped into my head while I was watching taped episodes of Earth: Final Conflict with my sister, and now I'm writing it. It may be a bit strange, but this is what my strange mind came up with, so just bear with me, ok? 

Disclaimer: The Transformers and Earth: Final Conflict don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing them. Keep in mind that I think Zo'or is an ass and Sandoval is just as bad, so there will be some tormenting of those two characters in this story. Ultra Rodimus, on the other hand, is mine.   
  


**Unexpected Encounters**   
  


**Chapter 1: End to the Expected**

So far, the day had been quiet. 

There were no new problems on the horizon, Zo'or had been keeping quiet for several days, the Resistance hadn't made even the smallest move to raid Taelon facilities or cause chaos in general, and everything was going on without a hitch. 

Agent Ronald Sandoval hated it. 

He was a Companion agent, one of the first to receive the CVI, the cyber-viral implant. He knew from experience that when things were quiet, all hell tended to break loose afterward. That was part of his version of Murphy's Laws. Total chaos was always preceded by total calm. The hair on the back of his neck was on end. His instincts were warning him that something was going to happen, and that it would leave everyone in shock. 

He was dragged out of his thoughts by footsteps. He turned to see the North American Companion, Da'an, arrive on the bridge, followed by his protector, Major Liam Kincaid. The tall Major glanced at Sandoval, then peeled away from Da'an as the Taelon approached Zo'or. 

"You look nervous," Liam commented as he joined Sandoval. "What's up? Did someone get into your files again?" 

Sandoval glared up at the other man. "What does it matter to you?" he demanded coldly. 

Liam shrugged. "When you look nervous it usually means that something is going to happen, and when the hair on your neck is bristling like that, it's probably going to happen soon." 

"And how would you know that?" Sandoval shot a nasty glare at the Major. 

Liam grinned. "I noticed how you behaved, so I started watching you. Every time you sense something, you react a certain way. The closer that trouble gets, the more nervous you become." 

"And you know this from watching me." 

"Yes." 

"Is there something that we should know going on between you two?" Zo'or demanded. 

"No, Zo'or. The Major and I were merely commenting on how quiet things have been lately," Sandoval explained. 

The Taelon leader eyed them suspiciously, then decided to drop the subject and return to whatever discussion he was having with Da'an. Sandoval glared coldly at Liam. The taller man only grinned. 

"Keep your mind on your own business, Major, and don't pry into mine," Sandoval growled before stalking away. 

For another few minutes, everything was quiet. Then Sandoval's instincts screamed a warning, and his head jerked up, automatically scanning his surroundings for any sign of trouble. Liam had noticed his sudden movement and was also scanning the bridge. Fortunately, the two Taelons remained oblivious. 

Sandoval's scan of the bridge revealed nothing that looked wrong. He was starting to relax when a console started to beep, catching the attention of everyone on the bridge. Sandoval darted behind the console and began changing the displays, trying to find the source of the alarm. 

"Report," Zo'or demanded. 

"The internal sensors are detecting a sudden spike of an unknown energy," he reported. "This energy is like nothing I've ever seen before. The concentration is small, but it is gaining in strength and intensity." 

"Where is it located?" 

"Here on the bridge, about six meters to your right." 

Zo'or turned to scrutinize the spot. He saw nothing wrong. He was about to order that the energy be contained when something happened. 

The air itself at that spot seemed to tear open. The edges of the hole writhed madly, as if the rupture was convulsing violently. Madly-shifting colors marked the edges of the tear. A powerful wind exploded out of it with such force that it blew everyone not holding onto something off their feet. The wind was accompanied by a screaming roar, so loud it was impossible to hear anything over it. To it was quickly added a new sound, a feedback-like screech that went through everyone present like a hot needle. Two Volunteers went down, writhing in pain, hands clamped over their ears. 

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. 

Everyone cautiously took their hands away from their ears, wondering if that terrible sound was going to come back. Several of the Volunteers were bleeding from their ears and noses from the force of the sound. Two were unconscious. They had hit the wall hard. The Taelons were struggling to regain their wits, having been shocked nearly senseless by the unexpected appearance, ferocity, and disappearance of the rupture. Sandoval shook his head to clear it and looked back at where the rupture had been. 

A new sound broke the silence, the sound of someone swearing in a language no one had ever heard before. From the tone of the deep voice, the speaker was using the foulest and most vulgarly descriptive words he knew. Everyone turned toward the voice. 

The strange rupture was gone. There was no trace of it. Instead, there was something else. 

A man was pushing himself up off the deck where he had fallen, swearing the entire time. He was no one that Sandoval recognized, and he wasn't dressed like any of the bridge crew or like a Volunteer. Instead, he was wearing what looked like a silk tunic, colored silver-grey and patterned with stripes in red and blue, matching pants, a long, handsomely patterned leather jacket, and knee-high, tailored boots of the same pattern as the jacket. A long silver-white braid hung over his shoulder. His exposed skin had a tanned look, and a faint, unusual golden sheen. 

The stranger got his legs under him and pushed himself to his feet. Muttering to himself, he brushed himself off, then looked up. Laser-intense green eyes swept over everyone in sight before settling on Sandoval. 

"Where the hell am I?" the stranger demanded.   
  


**To be continued...**

I know this is weird. The next chapter will explain who the stranger is and how he arrived, but I suspect some of you can already guess. Review if you want more chapters. 


	2. Transit

Author's Note: And here is the chapter that explains what happened in the last chapter. Thanks to anyone who sent me a review for chapter one. 

Disclaimer: As I mentioned in the first chapter, only Ultra Rodimus belongs to me. The Transformers and the Earth: Final Conflict universe belong to somebody else. I'm just borrowing them.   
  


**Unexpected Encounters**   
  


**Chapter 2: Transit**

Ultra Rodimus was having a bad day. 

He and a group of Autobots had traveled to a newly-opened world to negotiate a treaty with the world's leaders. The negotiations had not gone well. The race inhabiting the planet, a race of avian humanoids, complained about everything. They complained about the Autobots' size, the conditions of the treaty, the time spent in negotiations, and everything else they could think of. Ultra Rodimus had reached the limits of how much he could tolerate and had told the avians in no uncertain terms that until they could stop whining and actually work with the Autobots, there would be no treaty. Before the aliens had had time to start complaining about his attitude, he had gotten up and simply walked out. The other Autobots had followed him out without complaint, eager and relieved to be away from the endless complaining. 

"That wasn't very wise," Kup commented, catching up with his young leader and matching his pace to the taller bot's long stride. 

"I couldn't take it anymore, Kup. All they do is whine and complain. I refuse to even consider a treaty with them until they learn to shut up and act like adults instead of spoiled two-year-olds." There was venom in the young Prime's deep voice. 

"As much as I hate to say it, I agree with Prime," Magnus added. "Those creatures don't deserve to ally themselves with us or any of our other allies until they learn to stop demanding to get their own way, and whining like infants when they don't." 

"I can't even stand to be in the same room with them," Jazz muttered, rubbing his head. While it was impossible for a robot to get a headache, it was possible for them to feel like they had one. And he had a whopper of a headache. 

Kup sighed and looked up at Ultra Rodimus. "And how long do you think that will take?" 

"We've got time," was the cryptic reply. 

The older bot sighed and shook his head, dropping back to rejoin the others. He watched the young Prime stalk up the boarding ramp of their shuttle, bootheels clicking on the metal, and silently compared Ultra Rodimus to the other leaders he'd known. 

Optimus Prime had always behaved respectfully toward other races, no matter how much he really wanted to strangle them with his own hands. Rodimus Prime had relied on his mentors and assistants to aid him in his dealings with other races. He had never revealed to anyone but his closest friends how he really felt about the races he had to deal with. But Ultra Rodimus was different, so different that sometimes Kup had trouble remembering that Ultra Rodimus had once been Rodimus. Ultra Rodimus had a mind of his own and had no problem telling people exactly what he thought of them. That trait in itself had earned him more points with most of the Autobots than anything else. 

Another difference had jumped out into the spotlight on a mission several months before their current mission. On a very different world, another treaty had been negotiated and signed. The natives of that world had noticed something that even Ultra Rodimus himself hadn't. 

Because his robot mode was humanoid, with none of the odd projections or outsized attachments that most Transformers had, Ultra Rodimus was capable of wearing garments, something no other Transformer could. Despite his protests, the natives had made an entire wardrobe for him. He'd reluctantly worn several of the garments for the negotiations. Near the end of the diplomatic mission, a specimen of that world's wildlife, a snake more that 300 feet long and with four heads, had somehow gotten into the complex and had attacked Ultra Rodimus. The serpent, similar in behavior to an Earth constrictor, had tried to crush him to death. Instead, he'd managed to pull a long dagger from subspace and stab the reptile to death. Several weeks later he had been presented with a long jacket or coat and a pair of knee-high boots made from the serpent's skin. Reluctantly, he'd worn them for the duration of his time on that world, and had gotten so used to them that he normally wore them all the time. Fortunately, the hide had proven durable enough to survive a warrior-leader's lifestyle without even a scratch. 

"Credit for your thoughts," Magnus commented, looking at him. 

"Just thinking." 

"About...?" 

"Him, and all of the various Primes I've known over the years." 

"And he's different from all of them, I know." Magnus nodded. "I looked through the records. There's never been another Prime as outspoken and direct as Ultra Rodimus is. And I doubt there ever will be again. He truly is strong-minded." 

"But is that a blessing or a curse?" 

"A curse to those of us trying to keep him under control, because we all know how much he hates being pushed around. A curse to those who cross his path and find out how blunt and direct he is. A blessing to those of us who hate beating around the bush about our opinions, and to those who hate having to hide their opinions from others. So it's a bit of both." 

Kup sighed again. "I've given up trying to control him. At least his temper is under control. Remember what happened the last time he lost his temper?" 

"Only too well. I don't think they've finished cleaning up the mess he left that wing of the city in yet." 

The rest of the Autobots boarded the shuttle, and the hatch closed behind them. The pilot started the engines and lifted off, heading for open space. 

They were several hours away from Cybertron when the sensors picked up the first whiff of Decepticons and began to scream dire warnings. The order inside the shuttle dissolved into a kind of controlled chaos as Autobots scrambled for their battle stations, and anyone capable of space flight left to engage their enemies in space. Ultra Rodimus, having a starfighter form, was among those who went to fight in space. 

"Don't let them near the shuttle!" he ordered. 

"Will do!" 

The resulting fight was vicious. The Decepticons had been defeated at every turn, and wanted some payback. The Autobots were able to hold them at bay while the shuttle pilot called ahead for reinforcements. More Autobots arrived as quickly as they could. 

"Drive them back!" Ultra Rodimus chased after one of the Sweeps, peppering the Decepticon with laser fire. 

"Easier said than done!" Afterburner yelled back. 

"Put some spine in it!" The argument was familiar to both of them. Afterburner was one of the Technobots, and was more of a scientist than he was a warrior. He tended to fight half-heartedly at best. Ultra Rodimus had taken to poking at him, and Afterburner poked right back. Neither of them were insulted by it. It was just friendly prodding. Ultra Rodimus's outspokenness and outgoing personality encouraged such friendliness. 

"You first!" 

Ultra Rodimus laughed as he spun on one wingtip and nailed Octane in the chest as the Decepticon triple changer tried to draw a bead on him. The shot sent Octane spinning off wildly, his own shot missing its target completely. 

"Nice!" Springer commented. 

"Better than you're doing at this point!" 

"We'll see about that!" 

Even in battle, the regular teasing and chatter never stopped. It only shifted focus. Ultra Rodimus was a part of that teasing, knowing from experience that morale was to the physical as ten was to one. The Autobots tended to fight better and more successfully when they were motivated. 

"Leave some for us!" The complaint came from the just-arriving shuttle of reinforcements. 

Ultra Rodimus hovered in front of them for a moment. "Come out and get your share!" 

The shuttle hatch opened. Autobots equipped with rocket packs swarmed out like roused wasps. The battle doubled in size, with the Decepticons the definite underdogs. Eventually, Galvatron realized that his troops were getting seriously mauled, and had to pull out. Before he himself ran, he turned and fired his arm cannon directly at Ultra Rodimus. 

The young Prime saw the shot coming. He spun around and fired one of his heavy cannons. The two shots collided with a terrible explosion. And Ultra Rodimus's sensors picked up a very familiar energy surge. 

"Oh hell no," he hissed. "Run!" 

"Why? What's wrong?" 

"Dimensional breach!" 

The Autobots, having had some experience with the trans-dimensional phenomenon, turned tail and ran, as fast as their thrusters could take them. Ultra Rodimus lagged behind, making sure the others were going. Behind him, he sensed the breach opening, and hoped he was far enough away to avoid being caught. 

"The dimensional barriers must be very weak," Perceptor commented. 

"Less talk, more move!" 

The breach exploded into being, a writhing hole flickering with mad colors. Its piercing shriek went through armor and circuitry, the pure force of the sound threatening to cause severe internal damage. Fortunately, the Autobots were already out of range of its sucking winds. 

"The breach is fluctuating!" 

The edges of the hole spasmed wildly. Tentacles shot off in all directions. One of them grabbed Ultra Rodimus. He let out a cry of surprise as the tentacle dragged him back. When it let go, he was well within range of the black hole-like pull. No matter how hard he tried to escape, the pull was too strong. He was dragged into the rupture. 

He was thrown around the tunnel-like rupture like a leaf caught in a tornado. His optics were tightly shut against the insane flashing of the colors, but he couldn't block out the hellish noise of the vortex itself. Despite his previous exposures to the vicious churning and shrieking of the vortex, he was never used to it. Nothing could block out that sound. He felt his body changing, shrinking, morphing. Then he felt the rupture spit him out. 

He landed on a hard surface, but it didn't feel like any kind of metal or stone. It felt strange. He forced his eyes to open. 

The surface was a purple color, not quite metallic but not quite organic. It looked like a mixture of both. He wanted to inspect his surroundings, but first he had to find out what kind of shape he was in. 

From the sensations he was getting, he knew he was human again. He didn't feel any broken bones or open wounds. The worst he felt was the bruise that would soon form on his shoulder. He swore heatedly to himself as he pushed himself up. Once the dizziness passed, he got to his feet and looked around. 

He was standing on the bridge of a strange, organic-looking ship. Humans in strange black uniforms stared at him. Pale-skinned, hairless alien creatures were everywhere, all of them staring at him. His gaze passed over them, settling on a black-haired human with a vaguely Asian appearance. 

"Where the hell am I?" Ultra Rodimus demanded.   
  


**To be continued...**

Another chapter down. What do you think of the story so far? Send me reviews and let me know! But no flames, please. Flames will be used to chase Zo'or from one end of the galaxy to the other. 


	3. Introductions

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story so far. I hope I'm not creeping anyone out by writing this. 

Disclaimer: I've said it twice already; do I really need to repeat myself?   
  


**Unexpected Encounters**   
  


**Chapter 3: Introductions**

Ronald Sandoval stared at the stranger. He'd never seen anyone like the newcomer before in his life. 

The stranger was easily six feet six inches in height, with not a scrap of wasted space on his tall, slender frame. He was solid muscle. Some instinct told Sandoval not to take that man on in a street fight. Another instinct, one used to otherworldly creatures, pointed out that the stranger was not human, though he looked it. His ears were more pointed than rounded, and his emerald eyes had slitted pupils. Sandoval was tempted to think they were only contact lenses, but then he saw those slitted pupils widen and narrow, adjusting to the bridge lighting, and knew they were definitely not contacts. The intelligence in those eyes were unnerving. Sandoval had the distinct impression that the stranger was far more intelligent than even the Taelons. 

The stranger put his hands on his hips and glared. He was obviously someone with a great deal of power. The way he carried himself indicated that he didn't doubt his own authority. 

"Well?" There was irritation audible in that deep voice. 

"Agent Sandoval!" Zo'or hissed, snapping Sandoval out of his trance. He aimed his skrill at the stranger. 

"Who are you, and how did you get here?" Sandoval demanded, keeping his skrill pointed at the intruder. 

The stranger didn't look impressed. He ignored the threat the skrill presented. "I am Ultra Rodimus, leader of the Autobots and current commander of Cybertron. Now where am I and who the hell are you?" 

His bluntness and dismissal of the threat confused Sandoval. He wasn't used to having anyone stand up to him. He blinked at the tall stranger, then shook his head slightly and reaimed. "And how did you get here?" 

"Dimensional breach. I'm certain you couldn't have overlooked that. The ruptures tend to open in a quite spectacular fashion." Ultra Rodimus's voice was laced with sarcasm. 

"I've had some experience with dimension jumping, but my transfer wasn't nearly as spectacular or noisy," Liam commented suddenly. 

Ultra Rodimus's penetrating gaze shifted to the Major. "Then you know how irritating it is to be snatched from your own reality and thrown into another without any warning." 

"I know well enough." 

"And you are...?" Ultra Rodimus asked. 

"Major Liam Kincaid, protector to Da'an, the North American Companion," Liam answered. 

"And who is the rude one?" Ultra Rodimus indicated Sandoval with one hand. 

"Agent Ronald Sandoval. He's another Companion agent." 

"And what are these 'Companions?' I have never heard of them." 

"That's what we call the Taelons." Liam indicated Da'an and Zo'or. 

"Enough," Sandoval cut in. "You will get no more answers from us until we've gotten answers from you." 

Ultra Rodimus regarded him coolly, but didn't say anything. Sandoval stalked up to him, keeping his skrill aimed at Ultra Rodimus's midsection. The taller man eyed the skrill, but with more curiosity than anything else. 

"Point that thing in some other direction," Ultra Rodimus told him, an edge in his voice. Sandoval merely shifted his aim from Ultra Rodimus's torso to his face. 

"No." 

The reaction was surprising. 

Ultra Rodimus moved so fast Sandoval had no time to react. He grabbed hold of Sandoval's skrill arm with one hand and delivered a stunning blow to the back of Sandoval's head while simultaneously kicking his legs out from under him. In less than five seconds, Sandoval found himself face-down on the deck, stunned, his arm aching from wrist to shoulder, looking at the gold-and-blue-spotted silver snakeskin boots Ultra Rodimus was wearing. 

_Snakeskin boots. Now why didn't I notice that before...?_

"I don't take kindly to being threatened, Mr. Sandoval," Ultra Rodimus announced coldly. "I would suggest you not try that again." 

Sandoval pushed himself up, noting the ring of Volunteers aiming their skrills at the taller man. From the way Ultra Rodimus was studying them, there was gonna be trouble. 

"Stand down!" Liam barked, pushing his way past the Volunteers. They reluctantly backed off. 

"What are you doing, Major?" Sandoval demanded. 

"He's only defending himself, Sandoval. If you don't bother him, he won't bother you." 

"And how can you be sure of that?" Zo'or demanded. 

"I can spot a fellow warrior. He's been in some serious fighting. He'll lash out if he thinks he's in danger. And since he could easily have killed Sandoval, I think that shows that he won't kill unless he has no other choice." Liam stepped toward Ultra Rodimus, holding up his hands to show that he meant no harm. Ultra Rodimus eyed him cautiously, but didn't move. 

Sandoval reluctantly backed off. He watched as the Major stopped in front of the tall offworlder. The two studied each other. Then Ultra Rodimus relaxed. 

"Where am I?" Ultra Rodimus asked. 

"You're on the bridge of the Taelon mother ship, in orbit around the planet Earth." 

"I know Earth. My people have cities on the planet, in my reality." Ultra Rodimus looked around at the ship. "Interesting design. Who's your decorator?" 

"The ship is organic." 

"I kinda figured as much." Ultra Rodimus looked at the Taelons. "And they are the Taelons you mentioned?" 

"Yes. This is Da'an, and that's Zo'or. Zo'or is the Taelon leader." 

The Autobot eyed the Taelon critically. "He strikes me as being the narrow-minded, self-absorbed, arrogant, airheaded, greedy type. The type who don't care about anyone but themselves." 

"And you're right," Liam muttered. 

"I thought so. I only just got here and already I don't like him." 

Liam snorted. "Then I think you and I are going to get along just fine." 

Ultra Rodimus returned the smile. 

Da'an stepped closer, and Ultra Rodimus turned toward him. "How long will you be here?" the Taelon asked. 

Ultra Rodimus shrugged. "Until I find a way home, I suspect." 

"How long will that take?" Zo'or asked. 

"Less than it will if you continue nagging at me," Ultra Rodimus shot back. 

Zo'or glared. 

"You really don't like him, do you," Liam commented. 

"Not in the least," the Autobot confirmed. "Methinks he'll try to control me, and do everything he can think of to get hold of me." 

Liam tilted his head. "Have you ever been tested for psy abilities?" 

Ultra Rodimus shook his head, puzzled. "No. Why?" 

"Because so far all of your predictions have been perfectly accurate." 

The Autobot Prime gave him a curious look. Then he looked around the bridge. "Does the rest of the ship look like this?" 

"It does," Da'an confirmed. 

"C'mon. I'll show you around." Liam gestured toward the corridor. 

Ultra Rodimus walked toward it, followed by Liam and Da'an. Suspicious, Zo'or and Sandoval trailed the trio. 

In the lower decks of the ship, Ultra Rodimus poked his head into one of the labs, staring at the large tank in the middle. "What is that?" 

"That's the tank where the skrills are bred." 

"What are skrills?" 

"Life forms bio-engineered to be weapons. Sandoval has one on his arm." Liam pointed at the creature. 

Ultra Rodimus walked over to the tank and peered in at the creatures inside. He studied them for a moment, then turned away. He was about to leave the lab when a loud hissing sound came from somewhere behind him. He turned to find the source. 

"What is that noise?" Zo'or demanded. 

One of the Volunteers looked up. "It's..."   
  


**To be continued...**

You wanna know what the sound is, don't you? Sure you do. Send me a nice review and I'll get the next chapter out as soon as I can. 

I will warn you that there will be delays between updates. Between college classes and almost literally wrestling my sister for control of the keyboard, updates will take a bit longer than they did when I was on summer break. Just so you know I'm not leaving you hanging deliberately. 


	4. New Friend

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay! (ducks) Please don't hurt me! I'm in college now, so updating and posting will take a bit longer than it did before. 

Disclaimer: I think you get the idea.  
  


**Unexpected Encounters**  
  


**Chapter 4: New Friend**

Perceptor looked up from his work when he heard the door hiss open. As he'd expected, it was Ultra Rodimus's lifemate. Ultra Magnus looked like death warmed over, his rich red and blue coloring tinged with the grey of worry. He'd been up for days without rest, trying desperately to find his beloved leader, mate, and lover. There were dark shadows around his optics, and he was clearly running on fumes. His exhaustion showed itself in the slow, heavy drag of his feet, the drooping of his broad shoulders, and the slurring of his speech. Unnoticed, Perceptor palmed a small rod-shaped object before straightening and facing the second-in-command. 

"Have you found anything?" Magnus asked, blinking hazy optics at the scientist. 

"I have not," Perceptor replied. "But I will not stop searching. Perhaps you should rest and..." 

"I will not rest until my mate is found," Magnus interrupted. 

"You will be of no use to him when you're mere moments away from collapsing," the scientist shot back. "What about your lifebond?" 

"It's still there, but it feels dormant. I can feel the faintest shimmer of his presence, but I can't communicate with him." 

"I still say you should rest." 

"Not until my mate is back with me," Magnus snarled stubbornly, turning to leave. 

Perceptor's hand came up, and he pressed a hidden stud on the rod concealed in his palm. There was a subdued hiss, and Magnus twitched, feeling a slight sting. Then surprise crossed his face, and he collapsed to the floor as the drug coursed through his system. Perceptor called First Aid. 

The Protectobot medic looked at the unconscious city commander, noting the tiny but powerful tranquilizer dart stuck in Magnus's flank. "You drugged him. A dirty trick." 

"It got results, though." 

Magnus was hauled to Medbay and strapped to the table. Perceptor took a break, slept for several hours, then returned to his task of finding the missing Prime. 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 

"It's one of the skrills," the Volunteer next to the tank explained, pointing. One of the living weapons held in the tank was struggling to crawl out, still making that hissing sound. Four of its eight tendrils were gripping the edge of the tank while the other four struggled to propel the creature out. 

Da'an blinked in surprise, the movements of his hands expressing how startled he was by the behavior of the creature. "Why would the skrill be trying to escape?" 

"It isn't." Liam touched the skrill. "It's chosen." 

"Chosen what?" Zo'or demanded, narrowing his eyes at the Major. 

Liam lifted the creature out of the tank. Ultra Rodimus pushed back the sleeve of his tunic to reveal his bare right forearm. The Major settled the creature onto Ultra Rodimus's arm, and the skrill eagerly dug in its tendrils. Ultra Rodimus barely even flinched as they burrowed into his flesh, and the skrill made a sound resembling a purr. The Prime made a similar sound, stroking the creature's back gently. In his mind he heard the skrill's greeting. 

"It's nice to meet you too, Falcon," he said aloud. 

"Who are you talking to?" Sandoval demanded suspiciously. "Who is Falcon?" 

Ultra Rodimus looked at him as if he were out of his mind. "Falcon is the skrill." 

"Impossible. Skrills do not have names," Zo'or snapped. 

"Actually, they do. Sandoval, ask yours its name." 

The human gave him a strange look. 

"Focus your thoughts on it and ask it what its name is." 

At first, the human ignored him. Finally, though, his curiosity got the better of him, and he did as Ultra Rodimus had instructed. The skrill filled his mind with the image of a large black bird, gliding through the sky, giving voice to a harsh cry. He shook himself free of the vision. 

"Raven. Its name is Raven." 

Ultra Rodimus showed his teeth in a grin, still stroking Falcon. The skrill was practically purring as his gentle fingers found all of its itchy spots. 

"You cannot have a skrill!" Zo'or raged. 

Falcon's purr became a hiss of anger, and its torso lit up. Ultra Rodimus's grin turned nasty. 

"It seems that Falcon likes you even less than I do." 

A strange siren went off. The two Taelons hurried back to the bridge, followed by the two humans. Ultra Rodimus tagged along behind. 

"What's going on?!" Sandoval barked at one of the Volunteers. 

"We're reading something on the scanners," the Volunteer replied. "It is neither human nor Taelon in origin." 

"Identify!" 

The Volunteer remained silent while he worked on the console. Finally, he looked up. 

"It's a Jaridian probe!"  
  


**To be continued...**

There. That's chapter 4. I know it's short, but I hope it'll hold you for another day or so, so I can get to work thinking up the next part. Send me nice reviews!


	5. The Conflict Begins

Author's Note: And here by popular demand is chapter 5 of this story! Just in case you haven't noticed, all of my crossovers come in pairs, so there will be a sequel to this story. 

Disclaimer: Blah.   
  


**Unexpected Encounters**   
  


**Chapter 5: The Conflict Begins**

"What are Jaridians?" Ultra Rodimus asked sharply. 

"They are our mortal enemies," Da'an explained, hands moving nervously. "We have been at war with them for years. They send probes through space to hunt us down." 

"The probes create replicants capable of posing as ordinary humans, but with incredible strength and powerful energy weapons," Liam added. "They are very difficult to destroy." 

"The probe has impacted!" one of the Taelon crew members called. 

"Find it and destroy it!" Zo'or commanded. 

Once the impact site had been located, Sandoval and Liam went out to destroy it. Ultra Rodimus followed, curious and bored. Liam flew the insect-shaped shuttle to the coordinates. 

"I think we have a problem," Liam announced grimly, staring into the clearing created by the crashing probe. 

"You think?" Ultra Rodimus snapped sarcastically. "What tipped you off, the crater or the corpse?" 

The trees had been damaged by the impact. Broken branches littered the ground, and tattered leaves were still falling. Thick tree trunks had been splintered. One huge tree had been nearly sheared in half. The ground now sported a massive crater, a good fifteen feet across and six feet deep. The undergrowth had been seared black by the heat of the probe's shell. A bear trap, twisted and partially crushed, dangled from its chain. The probe had struck it, rendering it useless, a fact from which Ultra Rodimus gained some measure of satisfaction. He liked bears, gentle yet fierce. Near the edge of the crater lay the body of a hunter, a powerful rifle clenched in his hand, his chest a blackened crater. Terror was etched on his face. 

There was no sign of the probe. 

Ultra Rodimus walked over to the body and leaned down to inspect the ruins of the man's chest. "This isn't impact damage. This is a laser burn. Whatever shot him has a weapon powerful enough to blow a full-grown human male nearly in half." 

"The probe changed itself to look like him, then killed him and left," Liam deduced. 

Sandoval picked up a branch and prodded at something caught in a bush. A bundle of something brown tumbled out. Startled, Sandoval jumped back. 

Ultra Rodimus snorted. "It won't bite you." He picked up the object and shook it out. "It's a bearskin. Grizzly by the look of it. Isn't that illegal?" 

Sandoval glared at him and stalked away. Liam nodded to Ultra Rodimus and went back to searching for any traces of the probe. The Autobot Prime growled something unprintable under his breath, folded the skin, and tucked it under his arm. 

"Here." Liam tossed him the hunter's backpack. "Put it in there." 

"Thanks." Ultra Rodimus did so, then slung the pack over his shoulder. "Now let's go hunt a far more dangerous prey." 

"What does Falcon have to say?" 

Ultra Rodimus consulted the skrill. "It says the replicant is heading in that general direction." He waved a hand northwest. "It can sense the probe's backtrail, but only vaguely." 

"Then I suggest we split up and track it down," Sandoval interrupted. 

The trio went in different directions. Ultra Rodimus followed the path Falcon had sensed. 

For the first half hour, there was no sign of the probe. Then Ultra Rodimus's instincts began to scream dire warnings. He froze, then began to rotate, looking in all directions but seeing nothing. Finally, he stood perfectly still and listened. 

A stick broke. He jerked around. 

Something blurry moved. He brought his skrill arm up, and Falcon discharged a powerful energy blast at the shape. The impact made the whatever-it-was take a single step back. Then it decloaked. 

The probe had discarded the dead hunter's shape. It was a bipedal metallic object, looking like a cross between an alien insect and a metal slag pile. One arm ended in a very large energy weapon. And it was pointed 

Right. 

At. 

Him. 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 

Magnus groaned as he came around. He glared at the medic standing nearby. 

"Dirty trick," he growled. 

"But it worked," First Aid retorted. "You needed to rest." 

The red and blue Autobot pushed himself to his feet. He was about to leave the medical bay when Perceptor hurried in. 

"I have discovered the entrance!" the scientist blurted. 

"_What?!?!_" Magnus almost yelled, but he caught himself just in time. 

"I have located the entrance to the dimensional breach," the scientist repeated. "If we duplicate the method of its opening, we can open it to the dimension where Ultra Rodimus is." 

"Then what are you waiting for?! Get to it!" 

Perceptor was out of the repair bay and sprinting down the corridor as fast as he could move before Magnus even took a single step forward.   
  


**To be continued...**

Well, that's chapter 5. Next, face-off with a replicant and Zo'or meets Ultra Rodimus's mate. If you wanna read it, send me reviews! 


	6. New Arrivals

Author's Note: Before you start throwing things at me about how long it took me to update this fic, allow me to explain the delay. I have only one word in my defense, and you will instantly understand the delay. And that word is: Ivan. Apparently mauling the US wasn't enough for hurricane Ivan. It came plowing up the eastern seaboard, gaining strength as it went, turned into a nor'easter, as close to a hurricane as we get in Atlantic Canada, and smashed into us, plaguing us with hurricane-force winds, power outages, and downed trees. To my readers down south, we have your hurricane. You can have it back now. To everyone else, if you're still mad at me about how long it took me to update, take it up with Ivan. Last I heard he was on his way to pound Newfoundland flat.

Disclaimer: You get the idea.

**Unexpected Encounters**

**Chapter 6: New Arrivals**

Ultra Magnus was swaying slightly on his feet, staring out of the shuttle into space, toward the place where a dimensional cross-rip had opened and pulled his mate into another reality. Other Autobots scrambled around him, preparing to reopen the breach. A team led by Magnus would be going through their find their leader.

Perceptor approached the second-in-command, tapping him on the shoulder. "We are ready."

The larger Autobot nodded slightly and turned away from the main viewscreen, heading for the airlock. Springer, Jazz, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Kup, and Smokescreen waited there, all carrying their weapons and ready to fight if necessary.

"About time," Kup muttered gruffly. "I had to chase off the Dinobots. All five of them wanted to tag along with us."

"Not a bad idea," Springer commented.

The old Autobot stared at him. "Are you considering bringing those maniacs with us?!"

"Why not? We may need them. And since Ultra Rodimus has neatly defeated Grimlock every time that Dinobot took a swipe at him, all five are loyal to him. They follow the strongest leader, and Ultra Rodimus is definitely the strongest," Jazz pointed out.

Kup growled something.

"Me Grimlock want to go find Prime!" the Dinobot leader growled.

"Will you behave yourselves and obey my orders?" Magnus asked.

The T-rex turned his head toward Magnus. "You Prime's mate. We listen."

"Then you can come."

Perceptor joined them. He was needed to open the breach from the other side once they found their Prime. Once the Dinobots had gathered, the group left the shuttle, hovering in space. Perceptor signaled the shuttle.

A massive explosion tore through the dimensional barriers separating their reality from the other. The hole's vicious winds grabbed hold of the waiting robots, dragging them in. The normal shriek of the tunnel itself made the Dinobots growl, but they didn't do anything stupid, remaining in a group. The Autobots felt themselves changing as they passed along the screaming, twisting tunnel. Then it spit them out.

Most of them were used to dimensional travel, so they recovered quickly. The Dinobots needed a bit more time to adjust.

Magnus was on his feet as fast as he could move. He noticed that he was human, but dismissed that fact and surveyed the area.

The group had landed on the bridge of a strange, organic ship. Humans in strange black uniforms and pale, hairless creatures were staring at them. Magnus's gaze settled onto one of the creatures, and he aimed the business end of his rifle at it.

"I want answers, and you're gonna give them to me," he snarled.

Zo'or was frozen by surprise. The shrieking hole had opened again, depositing another group of strangers on the bridge of the mother ship. All of them bore the same face-shaped insignia Ultra Rodimus bore, but these ones were wearing what looked suspiciously like body armor, and they were armed.

The leader was a tall, powerfully-built man. His armor was colored in red and blue. Long blue hair hung down his back. His blue eyes showed intelligence and anger. In height, he was the largest human Zo'or had ever seen, nearly seven feet tall. He carried a nasty-looking rifle of alien design, and it was pointed right at him. The barrel was crackling slightly, indicating that it was powered up and ready to fire.

The others were mixed. One had hair that was green one moment and gold the next. He wore green and silver armor, and he carried a broadsword. Another had short black hair, black and white armor, and a strange type of gun in his hand. Behind him stood a redhead in a white lab coat, dressed in red and blue. Two others, twins stood side by side. One was black-haired, in red armor, and the other had golden hair. His armor was gold and black. Next to them stood another black-haired man, this one in red and blue armor. The last stranger was obviously the oldest. His hair was iron grey, and there were creases in his skin, the creases of age. His armor was grey.

Something moved behind them.

"Me Grimlock have headache," a deep, rough voice announced, and a prehistoric monster appeared behind the others.

Zo'or had seen pictures of dinosaur bones, but he'd been told the creatures were long extinct. But he was staring at a very much alive Tyrannosaurus rex, the tyrant lizard king, and it didn't look the least bit extinct.

It was nowhere near the size of the ones Zo'or had seen pictures of. It was taller than a human, a bit bigger than a draft horse. The jaws were lined with razor-sharp teeth. Its tiny arms ended in nasty claws. Its feet were fully clawed. In color it was grey and red.

Another dinosaur stood up, this one a pteranodon. The flying reptile flapped its wings and screeched. It had a wingspan on more than fifteen feet from wingtip to wingtip. The claws on its feet scraped loudly on the floor as it moved.

A Brontosaur shook its head as if to clear it as it staggered to its feet, its long tail snaking across the floor. One of the Volunteers scrambled back to avoid being swatted by that powerful tail. The dinosaur, fortunately, was nowhere near the size of the ancient giants, but its head nearly reached the ceiling.

A grunt revealed the presence of a Triceratops, the three-horned face, and a Stegosaurus, the roofed lizard. The Triceratops sported three long horns, scarred and scraped from use. Its bony head shield was pitted and scratched. The Stegosaur thumped its tail against the floor, making the four deadly spikes on the end rattle.

The blue-haired man took a step forward, dragging Zo'or's eyes back to him. That weapon was still trained on him.

"I said I want answers. So listen up, and answer my questions. I'm not in the mood to be nice right now. Understand?"

"I understand," Zo'or answered.

"Good. First question: where is Ultra Rodimus?"

**To**** be**** continued******

Another cliffhanger! This is your cue to send me some reviews, and I'll get the next chapter out as soon as I can!


	7. Reunion

Author's Note: Thank you to my readers for being so understanding. Also, I don't write on weekends. I stay with my grandfather, and he doesn't have a computer. Sorry! 

Disclaimer: I think you know. 

(Ultra Rodimus to Magnus, Falcon) 

((Magnus, Falcon to Ultra Rodimus))  
  


**Unexpected Encounters**  
  


**Chapter 7: Reunion**

The replicant took a step toward Ultra Rodimus, raising its gun arm. Ultra Rodimus's instincts screamed a warning, and he dodged seconds before the replicant fired. The shot burned a hole in the undergrowth, blasting nearly halfway through the trunk of a large tree. The Autobot Prime swore. He brought his skrill arm up and fired back. 

The shot didn't even phase the replicant. Falcon yelled a mental curse word. 

(You said it,) he muttered to the skrill. 

((That shot should have destroyed it!)) Falcon insisted. 

(I guess they've adapted.) 

((Impossible!)) 

(Nothing is impossible.) 

The replicant fired again. Its aim was improving. The shot burned the end off of Ultra Rodimus's silver-white braid, and it promptly began to unravel. Ultra Rodimus snarled, wishing he could bring out one of his other weapons. Unfortunately, humans didn't have subspace access. He couldn't even reach any of his weapons. 

He fired again, with Falcon concentrating all of its energy into that shot. The replicant took a single step back, but was undamaged. 

(I'd say they've adapted to skrill fire.) 

The replicant's speed and aim were improving. It fired three times in rapid succession, all three shots connecting. Two bounced off the nearly indestructible snakeskin jacket he wore, but the third burned a hole deep into his thigh. His leg promptly collapsed, unable to support him, and he went down with a cry of pain. 

The replicant stood over him, pointing the barrel of its weapon at his forehead. 

He tensed, fear, an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time, surging through him. The replicant was completely undamaged by Falcon's fire, and now he was helpless to defend himself. He'd faced down Unicron, the Decepticons, and countless other races, all of them as intelligent as his own people, and none of them had even been able to scratch his paint. Now a mindless drone was about to do what no other race had ever managed. 

Something snapped inside of him. He was suddenly aware of his subspace links, and able to access them. He reached into his armory and pulled out his pulser rifle. 

It was one of the most powerful weapons he had. Its normal ammunition cartridges carried flechettes, and each shot pumped out half a dozen of the tiny darts. The darts didn't look very dangerous, but they had monomolecular edges, edges a single molecule thick. They went through even the toughest armor like tissue paper, ripping the target's innards to shreds on their way through. They were fired at a velocity so great that they often went through two or three targets before stopping. But his time he wasn't using the flechettes. 

He was using something worse. 

The cartridge he slammed home in the rifle was one of the seldom-used "special actions" munitions he carried. He had a number of different types, from glue-filled "sticky balls", knockout gas cartridges, and other riot-control devices, to ones whose purpose was pure destruction. He'd used the riot-control cartridges now and then, but never any of the destructive type. Until then. 

Once the cartridge was loaded and locked, he brought the weapon up in one smooth motion. In less than a second, he'd aimed and fired. 

The instant the relatively low-velocity shot exited the barrel, it blossomed like a flower from the depths of hell to deploy the twenty-five heavy-metal beads in a beautiful geometric pattern, like a high-tech spiderweb. 

Strung with monomolecular wire. 

The wire between the beads was only a single molecule thick. It went through anything in its path with little to no effort. Perceptor had created those cartridges after reading about an Earth weapon called chainshot. Only Ultra Rodimus carried them. Only he could be trusted not to misuse such a powerful weapon. Perceptor had stored his notes on the construction of that weapon in a place only he knew about. 

The replicant never saw it coming. 

Before it could even twitch, the wire had passed completely through it and continued on with its velocity unchecked, slashing trees and rocks apart. The thunderous _crack! _of the shot brought Sandoval and Liam running. 

"What was--" Liam bit the question off when he saw the replicant, frozen in place. It wasn't moving. Sandoval immediately took aim at it. 

Ultra Rodimus picked up a twig and tossed it at the replicant. The twig bounced off its leg. The replicant promptly fell apart, cut into small pieces by the wire web that had cut through it. 

"How did you do that?" Liam asked. 

"Autobot secret." 

Sandoval smelled something and looked down only then noticing the small pool of slightly bluish blood forming beneath Ultra Rodimus's right thigh. "You're hurt!" 

"The damn thing got me before I got it. They've adapted to skrill discharges. Skrills are useless against them now. You'll have to find another way to fight them." 

The Asian implant cast a significant look at Ultra Rodimus's rifle. Ultra Rodimus shook his head and subspaced it. 

"No chance in hell. This weapon is too powerful to be left in your hands. The risk of it being misused is too great. Only I have one of these weapons, and only because I can be trusted to use it responsibly." 

"He's right," Liam pointed out. "I don't even want to think about what Zo'or would do if he had one of those weapons at his disposal." 

Sandoval nodded reluctantly, kneeling down to check the wound. "It's deep, but it missed the artery. It needs to be treated." 

"He's got to weigh twice what I do," Liam pointed out. "I highly doubt we can carry him out of here, and the foliage is too thick to bring the shuttle here." 

Ultra Rodimus was about to speak when something else exploded into his mind. It was the lifebond, bringing with it awareness of his mate's presence in the same dimension he was trapped in. He closed his eyes and reached for it. 

(Magnus?) 

((Ultra Rodimus!)) There was relief in Magnus's mind-voice. ((Where are you?)) 

(Down on the planet. Get the coordinates from one of the Taelons. Ask Da'an; he'll tell you. I've got a nasty hole in my leg, and a new friend I won't be getting rid of.) 

Falcon chuckled in his mind. 

((What was that?)) Magnus demanded. 

(I'll explain when I see you. Just get down here, please. I can't walk, and I'm too heavy for these two humans to carry out of here. So I'm kinda stuck.) 

((I'll be there as soon as I can.)) Magnus sent a wave of affection, and then turned his attention back to his own business. 

"Hello!" Liam snapped his fingers in Ultra Rodimus's face. 

Ultra Rodimus batted his hand away. "I'm fine. I was just communing with someone. We should be getting visitors soon." 

"How do you know?" 

"I am linked to another of my race by the mind. I can communicate with him mind-to-mind. Once he gets our coordinates, he'll be here, with company." 

((Beloved, Da'an isn't here and the one called Zo'or is being a bastard.)) 

(I know. He's an ass. Feel free to slap him senseless.) 

Liam obligingly gave him their coordinates. Ultra Rodimus relayed them to Magnus. His mate grinned. 

Ultra Magnus pointed his gun at Zo'or, and his finger tightened on the trigger. A bolt of energy shot out, blowing a gaping hole in the deck between the suddenly nervous Taelon's feet. 

"We need a shuttle, now," Magnus snapped. "Or next time I'll take off your foot."  
  


**To be continued...**

There! Seven chapters in, and who knows how many to go. Thank you, Gromia, for being so understanding of my situation. Ivan hung around for two days, taking out the power in Glace Bay, Whitney Pier, parts of North Sydney, and most of Sydney. Fortunately, no one was injured, but more than a few homes were damaged, and plenty of big trees were blown over. At least he's finally gone. He was a really lousy visitor.


	8. Autobots, Skrills, and Implants

Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for the delay in this chapter. I have had a very bad weekend. Not bad as in "I-broke-this-stuff" bad, but bad as in "I-had-my-first-ride-in-an-ambulance" bad. Actually, it was my grandfather who needed the ambulance, but I had to go along for the ride. Not fun, believe me. 

Disclaimer: I think you know already.  
  


**Unexpected Encounters**  
  


**Chapter 8: Autobots, Skrills, and Implants**

Zo'or was frozen in his command chair, staring at the glaring warrior, too shocked to move. He saw the warrior's aim shift... 

Just then, Da'an arrived. Zo'or had never been so glad to see his parent as he was at that one moment. The elder Taelon took one look at the group and moved toward them. 

"You are Ultra Magnus, are you not?" Da'an asked the bluenette. 

Blue eyes narrowed. "I am," the man confirmed. "Who are you?" 

"I am Da'an. Your lifemate has told me of you. I have already arranged transportation for you. Follow me, please." 

Warily, the group followed Da'an to the shuttle bay, where several shuttles, large enough to handle the Dinobots, waited. Da'an shooed the transformed Cybertronians onto the shuttles, then gestured to the pilots and stepped out of the way. The shuttles lifted off and flew out of the ship. 

"Can we trust them?" Springer asked in Autobot. 

"Ultra Rodimus tells me that we can," Magnus responded. "I trust my mate's judgement." 

"Then that is good enough for me." 

The shuttles were forced to land some distance from the place where Ultra Rodimus and the two agents were. Swoop shook out his leathery wings and took to the skies, flying in an ever-widening circle, his keen eyes penetrating the shadows beneath the trees. 

"Swoop will find them," Perceptor noted, adjusting his lab coat. 

The pteranodon screeched and flew back toward them. "Me Swoop found them! This way!" 

The other Dinobots followed after the flier, and the rest of the group trailed them. 

Ultra Rodimus lifted his head from the tree trunk he was leaning against, and the two men with him tensed. With one hand, Ultra Rodimus gestured for them to relax. 

"My friends are coming," he explained. 

A loud screech echoed from overhead, and both men looked up. 

Overhead soared a huge shape, its wings definitely not feathers, a long crest sticking out from the back of its skull. The sunlight gleamed off its leathery grey and red skin. It screeched again, circling them. 

"Is that a dinosaur?" Liam asked incredulously, not really believing what his eyes were telling him. 

"A pteranodon, to be specific," Ultra Rodimus agreed. "One of my friends. That's Swoop, one of the Dinobots. If you think he's impressive, wait until you see the other four." 

The ground underfoot trembled. Something very large was moving in the distance. 

A black head peered out of the trees. It was a bear. 

The bear sniffed loudly, then emerged from the trees and entered the clearing. The trio kept very still as it moved about, wary of the teeth in its powerful jaws and the tearing claws on its four feet. Then its head swung toward them, and it reared up onto its hind legs. 

"I think we have a problem," Liam murmured, and Ultra Rodimus gave a barely audible grunt in response. Sandoval was too shocked to answer or move. 

The bear showed its teeth. 

Then an ear-splitting roar erupted from behind the creature, and an ancient monster exploded out of the trees. 

Somehow, being on Earth instead of on the mother ship had stimulated the Dinobots' transformations, and they'd all reached the full sizes of the dinosaurs they were based on. It made them even more terrible to see. 

Liam gasped. Sandoval nearly fainted. Ultra Rodimus grinned. 

Twenty feet tall. Fifty or more feet long. Four-foot jaws lined with six-inch razor-sharp teeth. Seven tons of bones and muscle. Tyrannosaurus rex, the tyrant lizard king, burst out of the trees with a deafening roar, its huge jaws snapping shut inches from the suddenly terrified bear. The bear let out a roaring scream and ran, barely dodging the sharp horns of the Triceratops following in the tyrannosaur's wake. 

"Hello, Grimlock," Ultra Rodimus greeted. 

The T-rex bent down to nose the human Autobot. "Me Grimlock glad to see you." 

The Prime patted the scaled muzzle. "And I'm glad to see you." 

Slag shook his horned head to get rid of a bush caught on one of his horns. He eyed the two men, then looked at his leader. The two exchanged nods. Swoop landed above, folding his wings and leaning over to look down at the group. A spiky Stegosaurus joined them, stopping beside the Triceratops. 

The ground shuddered again, harder. 

Sandoval looked over at Ultra Rodimus. "How many of them did you say there are?" 

"Five. That's Sludge you feel. Just wait until you see him." A grin revealed all of Ultra Rodimus's teeth. 

"What kind of dinosaur is he?" 

"Look up." 

Both men looked. Two jaws dropped. 

Above them swayed a very long neck, ending in a very small head. The ground shook with every step the creature took. Birds and small animals fled, and the trees began to shake. Then the creature emerged from the forest, towering over them. 

"Brontosaurus, the thunder lizard." Ultra Rodimus grinned up at Sludge. 

"That is a big lizard," Liam commented. 

"Very big," Sandoval agreed shakily. 

"So here you are." A man stepped out of the trees. 

Liam and Sandoval tensed, but Ultra Rodimus waved them down. 

"Relax. He's mine." Ultra Rodimus turned toward the blue-haired man. "It's about time you got here." 

Magnus grinned, dropping the barrel of his weapon. Then he walked over to his mate. "At least I arrived." 

"Who's that?" Liam asked. 

"Ultra Magnus, my second-in-command and friend," Ultra Rodimus responded. 

The other Autobot knelt to inspect Ultra Rodimus's leg. Liam had shredded Ultra Rodimus's shirt to bind the wound. The bleeding had stopped, but the fabric was stained with blood. From the amount of blood, Magnus could tell that the wound was deep. 

"This will need treatment," he noted. 

"Where are the others? I need Perceptor." 

Magnus looked around, instantly spotting the trail of destruction left by the web of monomolecular wire. He pulled out his comm and summoned the scientist. A few minutes later, Perceptor picked his way out of the trees, brushing leaves off his coat. Ultra Rodimus said something in Cybertronian, and the scientist headed off after the wire-web. 

"Don't want to leave it lying here for the Taelons to find, huh?" Liam commented. 

"I don't want to leave it because if anyone blunders into it the wire will sever limbs and claim lives. It is very dangerous." 

The two Taelon agents shuddered. Then Perceptor returned, carrying a small antigrav pod. The pod contained the wire-web, neatly balled up inside a forcefield. 

"Here it is," the scientist announced. 

"How soon can we go home?" Magnus asked. 

Perceptor inspected the deep gash in Ultra Rodimus's leg. "Not until this heals. I do not recommend dimensional travel with a wound like this. There is no way to tell what might happen." 

"How do we get him out of here?" Sandoval asked. "He's too heavy for us to lift." 

Magnus grinned. "Easy. That's why the Dinobots are here." 

The T-rex leaned over. "Me Grimlock carry Prime." 

"Down," Magnus instructed. 

Grimlock leaned down, using his tiny arms to support his body. Magnus climbed onto his back, reached down, and hooked his hands under Ultra Rodimus's arms. Liam and Perceptor helped lift the young Prime onto the dinosaur's back. Then Grimlock pushed himself back to his feet, turned, and began to walk back the way he'd come. 

Perceptor clambered onto Snarl's back while the stegosaur held still. Sandoval scrambled up behind him. Liam took a running jump onto Slag's back, settling behind the bony shield. Slag snorted and followed Grimlock. 

The other Autobots were waiting next to the shuttles, watching the crowd of fascinated humans that had gathered. They'd noticed the shuttles, and had come to see what was going on. Attempts had been made to chase them away, but nothing had worked. 

The ground shuddered. Birds chirped nervously as the trees shook. The humans stirred uneasily. 

"Feels like Sludge is moving again," Jazz commented. 

The others nodded. 

The ground shook again. Then Sludge's head, high over the trees, appeared, and the humans began shouting and pointing. 

"Is that a dinosaur?!" 

Swoop appeared next, flying overhead with a loud screech. The shouting increased. Slag and Snarl appeared together, the sunlight gleaming off Slag's horns and Snarl's tail spikes. 

"That's four," Smokescreen muttered. 

A huge head emerged from the trees, and the humans suddenly fell silent, staring at the ancient beast, Nature's perfect predator. Grimlock walked out of the forest, head turning to regard the crowd out of fierce yellow eyes. He opened his huge jaws to reveal his teeth and hissed. The humans scrambled back. 

"Leave them alone," Ultra Rodimus ordered. Grimlock rumbled in protest, but obeyed. 

"At least he's listening," Perceptor muttered. 

Sandoval stared at the T-rex. "He obeys Ultra Rodimus?" 

"And only him. He'll tolerate the rest of us, but Ultra Rodimus is the only person he'll really obey. Ultra Rodimus in his natural form is a multi-changer, and one of his numerous alternate modes is an allosaur. He's beaten the tail off Grimlock more than a few times." 

The T-rex walked toward the shuttle, then crouched down so the Autobots could lift Ultra Rodimus off his back. The Autobots worked together to lift their leader's considerable weight. Springer grunted in surprise. 

"I know, I know," Ultra Rodimus grumbled. 

"That's mostly muscle," Magnus explained. 

"Doesn't make him any lighter," Jazz grunted. 

Ultra Rodimus swatted him. 

Between them, the Autobots got Ultra Rodimus into the shuttle. They settled him into one of the passenger seats. Magnus sat beside him. 

((You hurt bad,)) Falcon commented. 

(Yes, I know.) 

"Want to tell me who that was?" Magnus asked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"A new friend." Ultra Rodimus pulled up his sleeve. "Magnus, meet Falcon."  
  


**To be continued...**

There's chapter 8. Thanks for bearing with me. Sorry for the delay. Now send me some reviews!


	9. Return Home

Author's Note: And here is chapter 9 of this crossover. Thank all my reviewers for the reviews they sent me. And, Gromia, to answer your question, as a human Ultra Roddy is almost seven feet tall, and he weighs around 180 lbs, all of it solid muscle. As a robot, he's made of a strange, lightweight alloy, which cuts down on his mass, but he still weighs a good fifteen or so tons. 

Disclaimer: Ultra Rodimus is mine. Everyone else I'm borrowing (and torturing).  
  


**Unexpected Encounters**  
  


**Chapter 9: Return Home**

Ultra Magnus blinked in surprise, looking down at the creature on Ultra Rodimus's arm. Falcon had a vaguely insectoid body shape, and eight tendrils or tentacles, which were dug into Ultra Rodimus's forearm. The creature chirped pleasantly. 

"This is the voice I heard in your mind?" Magnus asked. 

((That would be me,)) Falcon mindsent. 

Magnus stared at it. "What kind of creature is it?" 

"A skrill. Liam told me that the skrills are living creatures taken from their homeworld and bio-engineered to be weapons. They attach themselves to their partners and draw nutrients from their hosts' bodies. They fire energy blasts that can be used to move or disintegrate targets. Falcon chose me as its host." Ultra Rodimus ran his fingers along Falcon's back, and the skrill crooned. 

"May I?" Magnus lifted a hand. 

"Of course. He likes to be stroked along his back, like this." Ultra Rodimus demonstrated. 

Magnus carefully stroked the skrill. Falcon made a sound that closely resembled the purr of a happy cat, and its abdomen began to glow softly. 

"I think he likes you," Ultra Rodimus commented with a grin. 

"You said it draws its energy from your body?" 

"Yes." 

"Then what will happen when we go home? Can it even survive attached to a robot?" 

Ultra Rodimus frowned. That clearly hadn't occurred to him. He looked down at Falcon, his expression troubled. Falcon's purring faded out as the skrill felt its host's distress. 

((What is wrong?)) Falcon asked. 

(I may not be able to take you home with me, Falcon. In my natural form I am a machine, a sentient robot. I'm not certain you'd be able to survive. You might not be able to live off my energy.) 

The skrill's grip on his arm tightened. ((I'm not letting go!)) 

(If you come with me you could die.) 

The skrill answered with feelings instead of words, letting its host feel its resolve not to be parted from its chosen partner. Live or die, it would remain firmly attached to Ultra Rodimus's arm. 

"I'd say it's made up its mind, and there's no way you're gonna be able to pry it off," Magnus commented. 

Ultra Rodimus shot him a troubled look, reaching through the lifebond to share his concerns with his mate. Magnus agreed with him, but he also respected Falcon's wish to remain with its chosen host. 

Grimlock poked his head into the shuttle. "How we get back?" 

Perceptor tapped Grimlock on the nose. "The portal can be opened from here on the planet. We do not have to be on the ship to return to our own dimension." 

"At least we won't have to go through the hassle of trying to fit the Dinobots onto the shuttles," Sideswipe muttered, and Ultra Rodimus chuckled. 

Liam climbed into the shuttle and took the pilot's chair. "You ready?" 

"You have to ask?" Magnus responded. 

The Companion protector snorted and powered up the shuttle. Within a few seconds they were off the ground and on their way. Both remained silent, watching as the shuttle made the jump to interdimensional. 

"There is something strange about Liam," Magnus whispered in Autobot. 

"I know," Ultra Rodimus whispered back. "The Matrix tells me that he is not fully human. But no one else seems to know, so I'll keep my mouth shut. I have the feeling that if his secret should get out, he will be in very deep trouble. It may even prove fatal." 

Magnus shuddered. "Then I too will keep quiet." 

"A wise idea." 

Liam listened to them and wondered what they were saying. "What are you two talking about?" he finally asked. 

"Is anyone listening?" Ultra Rodimus countered. 

Liam ran a quick check. "No. We're secure." 

"We were just noticing that you are not human." 

The tall man twisted around to stare at them. "How do you know?!" 

Ultra Rodimus touched his chest. "I carry the Matrix of Leadership, an item of great power. It contains the power and essence of our god, Primus. And now it is telling me that you are only part human." 

Liam stared at them. Then he confessed the truth of his parentage. Both listened in silence. 

"What are you going to do now that you know?" Liam asked after finishing his tale. 

"Nothing," Ultra Rodimus told him calmly. "It's obvious that you don't want your secret out, so we won't tell anyone. It is well-known in our reality that a secret told to an Autobot remains a secret. We don't break confidences. At least, most of us don't. Watch out for Jazz and Blaster. They're the biggest gossips on the planet." 

"I'll remember that." 

They landed on the mother ship. Medics were waiting to take Ultra Rodimus to the medical ward. Da'an was also waiting. 

"What happened to the replicant?" Da'an asked. 

"It's been destroyed," Liam reported. "Ultra Rodimus brought it down." 

"After it took a chunk out of my leg," Ultra Rodimus growled, indicating the bloodstained fabric wrapped around his leg. 

Da'an inspected the bluish stain. "Do not humans bleed red?" 

"I'm not human," Ultra Rodimus pointed out. "Appearances aside, I'm no more human than you are." 

Magnus chuckled quietly. 

Da'an glanced from one to the other. "I do not believe you explained where you come from or what you are." 

"We're Autobots," Magnus answered. "Sentient machines. We're not organic at all. The passage through the dimensional break transformed us from our natural forms to these bodies. Our real forms would never fit inside this ship. Ultra Rodimus looks vaguely human, but humans aren't, as a rule, more than fifty feet tall. We are." 

"More than fifty feet tall?" 

"Yes. Quite a bit taller." 

Da'an stepped back to let the medics take Ultra Rodimus to the medical ward. He and Liam followed. 

When the medic unwrapped the wound, there was a general wince. The wound was deep enough that the bone could be seen faintly. Bluish blood oozed from the torn tissues. A doctor took a sample of the fluid. 

"What is this? Is this blood?" 

Ultra Rodimus lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "At any given time, my real form contains four different types of hydraulic fluids, six support fluids, a dozen types of lubricants, a circulatory fluid you could call blood, and several cleanser fluids. It could be any of them. Take your pick." 

The doctors shooed everyone else out of the room and got to work cleaning and closing the gaping hole. Magnus waited patiently for them to let him in. 

"He heals at an incredible rate," the doctor said a day later. "Several times faster than any normal human. That rate has increased since we began treating the wound. At this rate it will be fully healed in about three days. He will have a scar, though." 

Ultra Rodimus looked up from the book he was paging through. "Hey, Liam! You owe me a new shirt!" 

Da'an shot Liam a curious look. Liam shrugged. 

"I tore up his shirt to bind his leg." 

"At least you didn't touch his snakeskins," Magnus commented from where he leaned against the wall. "He may have been reluctant to accept them in the first place, but now he'll bite your head off if you even look at them funny." 

"He hissed at me when I took his jacket off. I know," Liam muttered. 

"He bites," Magnus warned. 

"I'll keep my hands away from his teeth." 

"Good idea." 

"Does he always wear those leathers?" Da'an asked. 

"Always. They're tough enough to deflect a point-blank plasma blast. He rarely takes them off. He has an extensive wardrobe, but he doesn't wear much of it. I think that silver and white fur coat he received on Antarsis looks very handsome on him, but he's only worn it once." 

"Wrong season for it," Ultra Rodimus shot back. 

Finally, Ultra Rodimus was let out of the medical ward. The wound had healed, and only a thick red scar was left. Magnus headed for the shuttle. 

"Perceptor!" 

The redheaded scientist looked up. 

"We're ready!" 

Perceptor nodded and picked up his equipment. He had the machine ready in a few minutes. 

Liam wandered over to Ultra Rodimus. "It's been nice meeting you." 

"Likewise." Ultra Rodimus shook Liam's hand. "We will meet again. I know we will." 

"Hey, Mags!" Liam called. 

"Yeah?" 

"Have Ultra Rodimus tested for psy abilities, will you? So far all of his 'guesses' have turned out to be accurate predictions." 

"I'll see to it." Magnus walked over to his mate. "What about Falcon?" 

Before Ultra Rodimus could say anything, a blue-green-white light ran down his arm to surround Falcon in an aura of radiance. The skrill let out a screech of surprise. Then the light faded. 

"That answer your question?" Ultra Rodimus asked dryly. 

"Ah...yes." 

Perceptor activated his machine. The dimensional barrier squalled its protest as it was forced open to allow the travelers to return home. The Autobots said their goodbyes, then entered the breach.  
  


**To be continued...**

Another chapter down, and I dunno how many to go. Send me some reviews and I'll get the next chapter out as soon as I can!


	10. Homecoming

Author's Note: Sorry, folks, but this is the last real chapter of this story. My train of ideas crashed and burned. So I'm wrapping it up. And I know I said there'd be a sequel, but that idea will have to be shelved for a while. The next story I'll be churning out will be based on an idea given to me by my good friend and idea factory, ckret2. It will be called Burning Skies. Keep an optic open for it. 

Disclaimer: I think you've figured it out. I've been saying it every chapter.  
  


**Unexpected Encounters**  
  


**Chapter 10: Homecoming**

Ultra Rodimus staggered slightly as the dimensional breach spat him out, screaming its anger at him. Then it deposited his comrades on the deck behind him, spitting them out like a human child spitting out sour berries, and closed with a final scream. 

"Get off!" Springer yelled. 

"Hold you Springer's horses!" Grimlock snarled back, pushing himself off the top of the pile. 

Magnus pulled himself out from underneath Sludge and got to his feet, shaking his head. Sensing his mate's amusement, he sent his lover a sour look and a warning thought. Ultra Rodimus batted his eyes innocently, then turned his attention to the other Autobots on the bridge of the shuttle. 

"Thebreachhasclosedyesithasit'sallclosednow!" Blurr called. 

"Whaaaaaaat?" Ultra Rodimus cupped a hand around his ear. 

((Does he always talk like that?)) Falcon asked, sending feelings of surprise. 

(Unfortunately, yes. He's called Blurr for a very good reason. He's the fastest Transformer alive, and one of the most annoying.) 

((Then I'm very glad I won't have to deal with him.)) 

Magnus cracked up. 

"Whatareyoulaughingatyoubetternotbelaughingatmenoyoubetternotbe!" 

The second-in-command only laughed harder. 

((I see Falcon survived the trip,)) Magnus mindsent through his laughter. 

(Yes, he did. Thanks to Primus, who changed Falcon to allow him to survive being attached to a robot.) 

First Aid came forward to run a scanner over Ultra Rodimus, checking to see if he was hurt. The medic noted the long scar on Ultra Rodimus's leg, then noticed the creature on his right forearm. 

"What in Primus's name happened to your arm? That growth must be removed immediately! Come down to Medbay and let me... what in the universe?!?!" 

Falcon lit up like a torch and hissed loudly. First Aid jumped back with a startled screech, staring at the creature. If his eyes could've bugged out, they would have. It was a very interesting expression to see on the medic's face. 

"He's not a growth," Ultra Rodimus corrected, stroking Falcon's back to calm the skrill down, and its hissing slowly subsided. 

"You mean that thing is _alive?!_" 

"Very much alive. His name is Falcon. He's a skrill, a sentient creature. In the other dimension, a race called the Taelons took the skrills from their homeworld and bio-engineered them to be powerful weapons, completely under the control of the Taelons' human servants. This one chose me to be his host. He's my partner. So don't even suggest removing him. He can fire a very powerful energy blast." 

First Aid raised his hands in surrender, backing away. Falcon's glow faded away, and its tight grip on Ultra Rodimus's arm loosened. Ultra Rodimus sighed. 

"Falcon, could you please not grip my arm so hard? You're compressing my circiutry, and that hurts." 

((Sorry,)) Falcon apologized. 

Ultra Rodimus stroked Falcon's back. The skrill purred. 

"Now let's go home." 

When they returned to Cybertron, they discovered that they had a new problem. 

While the Autobot commanders had been concentrating on getting their leader back, the Decepticons had snuck past them and had hit Iacon. Half of the city was under their control. The shuttle landed as quietly as possible, and the crew stealthily entered the city. 

They found Galvatron in the command center, trying to puzzle out how to work the consoles. 

"Lure out the other Decepticons," Ultra Rodimus whispered. "Galvatron is mine." 

"Will do, big guy." The others slid away. 

The other Decepticons took the bait and left to deal with the Autobots. Since they were in Iacon, the Autobots had home-field advantage. They dodged in and out of sight, taunting their enemies. Ultra Rodimus chuckled to himself before he moved on Galvatron. 

Despite his size and massive fifteen-ton weight, Ultra Rodimus could move without making a sound. He crept up on the Decepticon leader, a nasty-looking grin spreading over his face. Galvatron never even heard him coming. 

He was trying to figure out how to access the city's mainframe when someone dealt a crushing blow to the back of his helmet. He hit the floor hard, rolling onto his back to see Ultra Rodimus towering over him, face twisted in rage. The Autobot leader reached down and took Galvatron by the throat, heaving himoff the floor, smashing him into the walls. 

"This is my city! You are definitely not welcome here, Decepti-scum! Get out! GET OUT!!!" 

Galvatron fled down the corridor, trying to get away from the enraged Prime. At the gates of thr city, he hesitated and tried to defy Ultra Rodimus, threatening the young Prime with his arm cannon. 

Falcon hissed angrily and began drawing power from Ultra Rodimus's systems, building up a powerful charge. When the skrill had the maximus charge it could contain built up, Ultra Rodimus raised his arm, and Falcon discharged a powerful blast. 

The shot wasn't as powerful as it could have been. Falcon was tired, as was its host, but the shot was still powerful enough to blow Galvatron out of the city. The blast severely damaged Galvatron's weapons systems, and the Decepticon fled, the rest of his army following behind. 

"Nice shot," Rewind commented, joining the tall young Prime. 

"Thanks." Ultra Rodimus leaned back against the wall. "What's the situation?" 

"The city is ours again." 

"Good." Ultra Rodimus walked back into the city, mentally contacting his mate. (Lover-mine, can you handle the questions? I'm dead on my feet.) 

((Certainly. You go get some rest.)) 

(Will do. Thanks.) 

Magnus sent affection, then turned his attention back to the other commanders. Ultra Rodimus made his way to the quarters they shared. That was the last thing he remembered. 

Magnus grinned to himself. 

"What are you smiling at?" Kup asked. "Where's Ultra Rodimus? I've got questions for him." 

"I don't think you'll get much out of him right now. He's in our quarters, out like a light. He was nearly dead on his feet earlier, and Falcon uses more than a little bit of energy when he fires. So Ultra Roddy went to our quarters and passed out the instant he reached the bed. Like flicking a switch." 

"Oh." 

The large Autobot answered as many of their many questions as he could. The rest would have to be asked to Ultra Rodimus when he woke up. Once they let him go, Magnus went to the quarters he shared with Ultra Rodimus. 

In the darkened bedroom, he looked at the bed, searching for a moment to find his mate. Ultra Rodimus could change the color of his stripes, that was common knowledge. Magnus had discovered that when he slept, Ultra Rodimus's stripes slowly changed color to match his background, making him nearly impossible to see. Only if you knew what to look for could you spot him. 

Ultra Rodimus was stretched out on his stomach, one arm out, the other folded against his side. His long braid was coiled over the pillows. He was practically invisible against the fur bedcover. 

Magnus remembered where that fur had come from. Like Ultra Rodimus's coat and most of the other furs scattered around the rooms, it had come from the ice world Antarsis. Their shuttle's engines, overdue for repairs, had failed, and they'd been forced to land on the icy planet to fix the damage enough to get them home. While there, they'd encountered one of the tribes inhabiting the planet. Ultra Rodimus had been in a foul mood, and the tribal leader had thought that it was his fault until Magnus explained that Ultra Rodimus hated the cold. The tribe had provided warm furs, and Ultra Rodimus's temper had sweetened considerably. When the young Prime had brought down a savage beast called, loosely, an ice dragon, though it had looked more like a bad cross between a crocodile, a two-headed salamander, a bear, and a used string mop, the grateful tribe had given him many gifts, including a massive pile of pelts. Ultra Rodimus had been at a loss as to what to do with them until Sandstorm had gotten his hands on them. 

"There's room in there for you too, you know," Sandstorm pointed out, breaking Magnus out of his thoughts. "He doesn't take up that much room." 

"I was just thinking," Magnus retorted. 

"Don't hurt yourself." 

"Very funny. Have you ever considered a career as a comedian?" 

Sandstorm pretended to ignore him. Magnus snorted and climbed onto the bed, wrapping his arm around his mate's shoulders and pulling him close, watching as Ultra Rodimus's stripes shifted to a mix of red, blue, grey, white, and silver. He smiled, gently kissed his mate's forehead, put his head down, and was almost instantly asleep.  
  


**To be continued...**

Ok, there it is, chapter 10. Now send me your reviews, please. Feed the author.


	11. Epilogue

Author's Note: Thank you _soooooooooo _much to everyone who reviewed this story, and to all of my loyal readers. It's so nice to know that someone loves to read my work. And yes, this story really is over. Sorry. Ran out of ideas. 

Disclaimer: Whatever.   
  


**Unexpected Encounters**   
  


**Epilogue**

The North American Companion walked across the main room of the Taelon embassy in Washington DC to stand beside his protector, who was standing by the window, looking up at the sky. Liam glanced at Da'an as the Taelon joined him. 

"What are you thinking?" Da'an asked. 

"Ultra Rodimus told me that we would see him again, and I suspect that instead of him coming here, we'll be meeting him on his own ground. I'm wondering what his world is like." 

"He did say that his people are fighting a war," Da'an reminded him. 

"I know. A terrible war." 

Da'an's hands moved gracefully. "I sensed in him a high degree of psy abilities, so what he predicted will most likely come to pass." 

"I know. And I'm looking forward to it. After what his mate did to Zo'or, I think I'm going to like his people," Liam replied. He grinned at the memory of the traumatized Synod leader, then returned his gaze to the sky, looking out to where the dimensional breach had once been, and beyond it to Cybertron, where the distants stars shone their cold light onto the torn surface of the metal world.   
  


**Fin.**

And that, folks, is that. Tell me what you think of this story, and keep your optics peeled for Burning Skies, coming soon. 


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